Women with Fibromyalgia Have Lower Levels of Calcium, Magnesium, Iron and Manganese in Hair Mineral Analysis

Magnesium, Iron and Manganese in Hair Mineral Analysis Fibromyalgia is characterized by chronic generalized pain, muscle tenderness, and fatigue that is most prevalent in women during middle age. 

Several studies have explored the relationship between fibromyalgia and oxidative stress, others investigated elemental composition of patients with fibromyalgia, but surveyed only in blood and urine samples. The latter studies, while potentially useful, overlooked the mineral content of hair. Hair mineral assay can be an effective method to deduce intracellular status. 

The featured study investigates the elemental characteristics in the hair of women with fibromyalgia, and compared the data with those from healthy age and body mass matched women and found distinct mineral differences. This study evaluated the characteristics of hair minerals in female patients with fibromyalgia compared with a healthy reference group. 

Forty-four female patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia according to the American College of Rheumatology criteria were enrolled as the case group. Age and body mass index-matched data were obtained from 122 control subjects enrolled during visit for a regular health check-up. Hair minerals were analyzed and compared between the two groups. The mean age was 43.7 yr. 

General characteristics were not different between the two groups. Fibromyalgia patients showed a significantly lower level of calcium (775 µg/g vs 1,093 µg/g), magnesium (52 µg/g vs 72 µg/g), iron (5.9 µg/g vs 7.1 µg/g), copper (28.3 µg/g vs 40.2 µg/g) and manganese (140 ng/g vs 190 ng/g). Calcium, magnesium, iron, and manganese were loaded in the same factor using factor analysis; the mean of this factor was significantly lower in fibromyalgia group in multivariate analysis with adjustment for potential confounders. 

  

In conclusion, the concentrations of calcium, magnesium, iron, and manganese in the hair of female patients with fibromyalgia are lower than of controls, even after adjustment of potential confounders. 

Kim Y-S, Kim K-M, Lee D-J, et al. 

Women with Fibromyalgia Have Lower Levels of Calcium, Magnesium, Iron and Manganese in Hair Mineral Analysis. 

Journal of Korean Medical Science. 2011;26(10):1253-1257. doi:10.3346/jkms.2011.26.10.1253. 

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Advice regarding a woman suffering from chronic pain

An inquiry from a physiotherapist working in an orthopaedics institute. 

"Dear Gary
I have been learning a lot about rehab in orthopaedis and then I got to know your website research about hallux rigidus. Here they do a lot of surgery for Valgus also and it results in a hallux rigidus.

I would like to know if you could help me on finding some criteria to identify the pain of a patient.

Female, 63y.o. felt on september 2009, sitting position, where she injured the coccix, no fracture. 8 months later had herpes zoster in right toracic region. At the first signs, she went to a neuro, took the meds and was ok.
After 3 months the pain came back very strong.
She took a 3D MRI from lumbo-sacro column. It was shows a little bone (like a sesamoid bone) between L4-L5-S1, considering no damage on affecting nerves. MRI normal.
Rehab, massage, capsicine creme on the area. Muscular relax pills. More than a year and not getting better.A lot of pain. She has some depression, mild.
Takng anti-depression medication because of the neuro doc prescription.
She can't relieve the pain on any position. The cycle is like 2-4 day with no pain than 2 with terrible pain.
Healthly, used to do yoga, walking 4 times a week for an hours - arround 5miles- 4km, used to be very active. She can do NO physical activities now cause of the pain.
Arthritis Deformatis on the hands and some on cervical spine.
I would appreciate your help and-or suggestions at this case.
Thank you very much."
C""
_______________________________________________
Gary:

Please bear in mind that the following is partly speculative and can only be confirmed, one way or another, the completion of a hair tissue mineral analysis.  The set of conditions you are describing often are associated with a period of unrelenting or severe stress within the previous 2-5 years.  Severe stress may shut down the adrenal and thyroid glands.  This is the root cause of most of these types of chronic health problems and no amount of drugs therapy or physical therapy is going to make any difference.  In fact, as I explain later, most of the drugs treatments employed, such as anti depressants and anti inflammatories, will make matters even worse.

Rheumatoid arthritis and copper retention
I assume she may have some degree of rheumatoid arthritis?  People with rheumatoid arthritis frequently show low tissue copper.  Chronic cases may show a high iron to copper ratio.  If your patient was to complete an ICL Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis, we may see something along these lines going on with her.

However; she may have the opposite going on - Elevated copper levels are more the possibility as I will explain in the rest of this article.

Under active thyroid
We may see evidence of an underactive thyroid, even if blood tests do not indicate this.  An underactive thyroid results in parathyroid gland dominance and this hormone imbalance drives calcium out of the bones and into the soft tissues resulting in joint and muscle pain, including joint degeneration and osteophytes.  An excess of calcium in the soft tissues is associated with fatigue and depression.  Elevated tissue copper is often seen with low thyroid and this will have an antagonistic effect on iron.  If an iron deficiency develops, the thyroid will not function well.  Copper also affects insulin through its antagonism of zinc, causing insulin to flood the blood.

These actions cause arthritis, chronic fatigue and chronic pain conditions like fibromyalgia.

Copper and the adrenal glands
Most individuals with weak adrenals have high copper levels.  Hormones from the adrenals normally stimulate the liver to remove copper from the body.  Poor liver function is often seen in people with high copper levels.

Herpes Zoster (Shingles)
Elevated copper levels typically accompany viral infections.  Elevated copper levels predispose the person to recurrent viral infections, such as shingles.

Medications
The main excretion of copper is through the intestinal tract via the liver and gall bladder.  Medications can cause copper retention.  The hormone estrogen, some psychotropic drugs, tranquilisers, and pain killers will interrupt this process of copper elimination.  Several of your patient's drugs will be contributing to copper retention and may thus be contributing to her chronic health problems.

What to do next
The first thing your patient needs to do is have a hair tissue mineral analysis completed.  Here is the test she needs to do.  You can arrange this through me, no problem at all.  It will just take longer, since you are in another country and we can review the report via a medium such as Skype.

Aim to have her progressively go off all medications.  This is best done under medical supervision, especially due to the addictive powers of anti depressants.  If this is not practical, or realistic right now, then I would wait for the hair analysis results to come in and then go from there using the report to guide the process.

If you feel she has elevated copper levels, then she can increase her intake of nutrients that antagonise copper such as zinc, vitamin C and vitamin A.  As an aside, these three nutrients are renowned for their ability to reduce viral infections!   If her symptoms improve with these nutrients, then you know you are on the right track.  But please bear in mind that the medications she is taking may negate any benefit.

With regards to diet, have her avoid all foods that contain moderate to high levels of calcium and definitely no calcium supplements!  Have a diet that is low in refined carbohydrates and no sugar.  Eat vegetables and fresh fruit, nuts and dark berries.  Have five small meals a day. Ensure there is quality protein in every meal, especially breakfast.  Avoid all margarines,  and foods with preservatives, colouring and flavouring (tough on the liver).

Get rid of stress from her life.

_______________________________________

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Do you have a question?  Email Gary: gary@myotec.co.nz. Include any relevant background information to your question.  Please be patient and be aware that I may not be able to answer every inquiry in detail, depending on workloads (My paying clients take precedence!). I will either reply by email or, most likely, by way of an article (Personal identifying details will be removed before publication).

My doctor has poisoned me with flouroquinoline!

Dear Sir....
Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God.....thank you soooo much from my heart, for your articles of the TRUTH about the TOXIC fluoroquinolones!!!!! Oh Sir, you just have no idea of the HELL that this previously HEALTHY single mom of twin 10-yr old boys has been through....NOT ONLY WITH MY DETERIORATING HEALTH but the TOTAL IGNORANCE and LACK OF CONCERN from the medical community (for starters).

Photo: Shelley in healthier days

If it were not for the information I finally found on the internet, after nearly 2 years of searching and struggling to find the CAUSE of my "mysterious symptoms"....I don't know where I would be now. At least I have found the MUCH NEEDED *SUPPORT* from groups like FQRESEARCH.ORG and our wonderful YAHOO quinolones discussion forum. And valuable information from articles like yours.

How do I deal w/ the fact that the life I had is gone. Over. because of the INCOMPETENCY of our DOCTORS....AND GOVERNMENT??!! My life has completely changed. Everything about my life.....the pain and suffering have been HORRENDOUS!!! It's INCOMPREHENSIBLE how this has happened to me....and so many others who are suffering NEEDLESSLY!!!!! I receive email from people on a daily basis....people I have never met or even heard of before....searching for answers.....suffering, begging, praying...... And as it stands today, we have NO PROTOCOL FOR HEALING....NO RECOURSE FOR COMPENSATION!!!!! NOTHING!!!!! OMG what has happened to us??!!!!

I have pictures of my skin, the blood that started appearing on my face, from tiny specks of "sores"....just appearing in the morning when I woke up, for NO REASON AT ALL!!! I began telling my doctor about mysterious aches and pains I started having, that would NOT go away....and I had no clue as to why it was happening. I told my doctors about a feeling of malaise....almost to the point of being a constant nausea.....and a very strange sensation of my body "stiffening up" so that I could hardly get out of bed in the morning, and it was a struggle to make it down the steps.

I told my doctors about the ringing in my ears....pain behind my right ear, where a "knot" appeared. I actually had one doctor try to convince me that it was from my glasses!! I insisted she feel the bump....and stood firm that I knew the difference between "mysterious pain" and pain from where my glasses would sit along my ear! It just made NO SENSE. Yes she finally (in exasperation) decided to send me to an ENT... who also HAD NO CLUE (OR LIED) and offered not much as far as diagnosis after SEVERAL VISITS....it was a lymph node, and I could have it removed. Well, still, there was NO ANSWER about the strange "swelling" or tenderness I felt all around my ear....then ALSO all around areas of my HEAD!!!! I chose not to be cut into until a doctor could tell me what it was....I was worried that something else was going on that could be made WORSE from surgery.

The more I suffered and tried desperately to recover and heal, the more "new symptoms" would appear!!! Can you imagine my DESPERATION and FEAR??!! Going from crying to the doctors, to becoming angry.....even taking my 70-yr old mother AND my little boys with me for some kind of VALIDATION!!!! I was finally sent to a rheumatologist (even though my test results showed that I did not have rheumatoid arthritis). So I really had no faith in that visit...even though by this time, my hands and feet were so sore, my right hand swelled, and I believe there is permanent damage. X-rays showed nothing abnormal....and I was once again dismissed....though any MORON can SEEEEE the damage with their own naked eyes!!!! I kept complaining....and I kept being told there was "nothing else" they could do. I would go home, completely mystified, crying.....I didn't understand. How could a doctor NOT be "concerned"??!

I was eventually diagnosed with tennis elbow (tendinitis), arthralgia, musculoskeletal disorder, trigeminal neuralgia....I've recently had an MRI for a stabbing feeling at the top of my head....but the MRI came back "normal". (Of course now I understand WHY) I had gone to physical therapy several times. (Which may have even been a big mistake on the doctors' part) There was one time, during a course of therapy that I thought I started to feel a little better....but that did not last long.....and in fact, my pains became worse. In frustration, I then said "The hell w/ all of them!!!" And continued to suffer.....searching for ANY clue!!!

You will not believe how I found out the TRUTH!!! I searched UNDETECTIBLE TOXIC DRUGS and POISONING....because that's exactly how it felt to me!! It felt as though I had been POISONED and the doctors could not find it!! And suddenly....THERE IT WAS!! How was I supposed to even REMEMBER the name of some antibiotics I took in 2003??!!!! YES 2003!!! I had been given AVELOX as well as TWO courses of LEVAQUIN!! I know I felt side-effects but continued my medication as prescribed by my physician. By the time the actual DAMAGE by these fluoroquinolones had occured, (we call them FQ's), I would NEVER have held these drugs suspect!!! WHO would even THINK such a thing!!

That's how absolutely mind-boggling this situation is!! AND IT IS KILLING US!!!!! I have been taking supplements daily....faithfully. The first thing I start with is COLLAGEN!! And I am finally coming to terms w/ the fact that my life has changed....and I may never fully recover. Every minute of every day is a struggle physically and emotionally. But I continue to fight the good fight. I have to..... what is the alternative??!! I am sharing your articles w/ my forums, as well as passing them along in emails. I am committed to promoting awareness about this grave situation esp through an informative email campaign that I call D-A-A-M....DEADLY ANTIBIOTIC AWARENESS MISSION.

Instead of enjoying the life I share w/ my children and mother....and our 7 cats....and being able to enjoy the simple pleasures of life itself.....I am working on this mission from the time I awaken (in PAIN) to the time I finally go to sleep, which is always in the wee hrs of the morning.

I found YOUR website about 5 AM!! In between time, I also home-educate my boys!! But I cannot and will not keep SILENT about the dangers of TOXIC FQ's, and how they are literally crippling innocent people...and DESTROYING THEIR LIVES!!!!! PLEASE....if there is ANYTHING you can do to help us.....ANYTHING at all....would you please consider giving us some of your time and insight into this matter?? We are struggling on a daily basis, with NOWHERE to turn, but each other. I am hoping I can make a difference. Will you please TRY to do something for us???? I am asking, at the very least, if you could possibly help w/ healing protocol. No promises, or guarantees......just some insight. It could be the start we are hoping and praying for.

Please continue to research and promote awareness with me!! For all of us!! I appreciate your time and consideration.....and anxiously await your reply!!

Thank you Sir, I remain Sincerely and gratefully yours,
~Shells~
Ms Shelley Sealover
ShellsPink@aol.com Toxic_Pinx@Yahoo.com
______________________________________
Gary Moller comments:
Thank you so much, Shelley, for the moving story of your struggle with these harmful drugs that continue to be prescribed. I have retained your email address with this article so that others can contact you.

Sadly, current medical opinion about these drugs is the damage is permanent. However; I am much more optimistic than most. While there is undoubted damage to collagen in the body, I am forever amazed at the capacity of the body to heal, if only we provide the best possible conditions to assist it with that job and if only we give it time before resorting to more drugs.

I think the drugs companies and the doctors who manufacture and dish out this class of drugs to unsuspecting patients deserve to be sued to Kingdom Come. There is more than enough evidence that these drugs do irreparable harm and we have known for years.

I recommend that readers who think they may have been harmed by flouroquinolines and other drugs, like biphosphenates, contact Tom Lamb of Drug Injury Watch. It was Tom lamb who first brought these flouroquinoline antibiotics to may attention. There may be a class action law suit that one can join, rather than battle the Big Boys alone.

Some thoughts about how to support a Floxy Body

• A hair tissue mineral analysis will be most interesting and may throw up some very interesting results that will help direct nutritional interventions.
• Take collagen supplements, as you are, and natural sources such as beef and chicken bone broths which will also provide much needed minerals and proteins - refer to my Recipes Section.
• Please read and follow my article here about chronic pain and fatigue. The advice applies.
• Take up to 8,000 mg of Methylsulfonlymethane (MSM) per day, plus 2,000 mg of vitamin C per day. You could add a quality garlic oil and vitamin E. These will help detoxify the body of any poisons as well as providing nutrients - vit C and sulphur for healthy collagen.
• You can also add a glucosamine supplement to the daily diet. If over 40, ensure there is also chondroitin. You do not need one with MSM, since you will be taking large amounts from a dedicated MSM supplement.

Give this time - the best part of a year to see if there are any significant benefits. Please keep us posted as to how you get on and we wish you all the best Shelley.

Nutritional strategies for beating chronic pain and fatigue

The most common health complaints I come across are a group of related conditions including chronic fatigue, cold limbs, aching muscles and joints. Underactive thyroid function is widespread and it has recently been reported that around 40% of New Zealand women report low sex drive (men are probably no better off, going by Viagra sales!). With an ageing population, this is a growth area!

While there is much that can be done to fire a body up and to relieve pain with physical exercise and massage, these are wasted efforts if the body chemistry is unhealthy. Exercise is the baking of the cake. Baking without first gathering all the ingredients (Top quality - of course!) will result in an unpalatable product. A malnourished body is weak and tired and anything more than gentle exercise will only make matters worse.

The most exciting and challenging area is trying to detect the nutritional metabolic switches that need to be thrown to fire up a person's internal furnaces and to help bake a strong body and lively mind. We are talking about firing up tiny cellular furnaces that may be currently running on little more than the pilot light. These switches vary from one person to another and may be a group of amino acids, enzymes, minerals or a particular vitamin or two.

What I first studied and learned in exercise physiology in the early 1970's still applies to today. The physiology of the human body has not changed in a thousand years and won't in another thousand. However; what has happened since 1970 is the physiologists have burrowed deeper and deeper into the chemistry of life. For example; we have known for ages that we break down muscle protein during intense or exhausting exercise. What we now know much more about is which amino acids in those proteins are most damaged during exercise and most needed for muscle repair.

While this research has been mostly focussed on the physiology of athletic performance, I am excited about applying this burgeoning knowledge to my ordinary every day clients, who are simply tired, aching and who simply crave for the good old days when physical and mental energies were so much higher. There are four nutritional products that show promise for restoring energy and vitality and let me talk about these: Kordel's Coenzyme Q10, Balance Carnitine, Balance Beta-Alanine and Alpha Linoleic Acid and other Omega 3 fatty acids found in products like Waihi Bush Flax Oil.

Coenzyme Q10 is required by mitochondria (the power plants of the cells) to produce ATP (the cellular energy molecule). Every muscle, nerve, heart, immune and brain cell requires coenzyme Q10 to survive and maintain the health of the body. Levels of Q10 tend to drop with age and low levels at any age may cause excess fatigue. In a study published earlier this month, seventeen healthy volunteers were randomised to receive coenzyme Q10 at 100 mg or 300 mg daily or placebo for eight days. The participants were then asked to engage in certain physical tasks. It was found that the group receiving 300 mg of coenzyme Q10 daily performed better and, in addition, had subjectively less fatigue compared to the placebo group.

Balance L-Carnitine has an important role in fat burning and exercise performance and the metabolism of fat for energy depends on it absorption, converison to fatty acids and glycerols. By promoting the transport and metabolism of fatty acids through the inner mitochondrial membrane, where fat is converted to energy, L-Carnitine can assist aerobic performance, anaerobic capacity and may improve power output and stamina in athletes. So much for athletes; I am more interested in the possible benefits for people off the street!

In a study published this month, 96 elderly people between the ages of 71 to 88 were supplemented with carnitine. At the end of the testing, those given this carnitine had a significant decrease in physical fatigue and mental fatigue along with significant improvement in cognitive functioning compared to placebo.

Balance Beta Alanine is an Amino acid with exciting possibilities. It acts as an intracellular buffer to offset acid production in the muscle to help delay muscle fatigue and speed recovery. This is proving very effective with clients who suffer fatique associated with fluid and acid buildup within tissues, such as about the shoulders.

Finally, there are the delicious organic Waihi Bush flax oils which have numerous health benefits including improving eczema, reducing inflammation, thinning sticky blood and improving concentration. Athlete or not; in combination with modalities like exercise, massage and adjustments to diet, these four nutrients can bring about relief from pain and renewed vigour for life.

A warning:
Please do not be lulled into thinking that these substances are the panacea for all ills. Each individual is different and there may be many factors at play, such as low iron levels (very common in women). These nutritional supplements are just some of the growing list tools in the health toolbox available to natural health advisers.

References

1. Mizuno K, Tanaka M, Nozaki S, Mizuma H, Ataka S, Tahara T, Sugino T, Shirai T, Kajimoto Y, Kuratsune H, Kajimoto O, Watanabe Y, Antifatigue effects of coenzyme Q10 during physical fatigue, Nutrition, Published online ahead of print 13 February 2008, doi:10.1016/j.nut.2007.12.007/
2. Malaguarnera M, Gargante MP, Cristaldi E, Colonna V, Messano M, Koverech A, Neri S, Vacante M, Cammalleri L, Motta M, Acetyl l-carnitine (ALC) treatment in elderly patients with fatigue, Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Volume 46, Issue 2, Pages 181-190, March 2008.

Natural therapies for reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD)

"Dear Gary

I have Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy. If you know of a good calcium supplement I would appreciate it. I am starting a search now. I am 53 and have never taken a pharmaceutical drug and hope never too. I am going for a bone density study as soon as I can I guess to see what is up with the bones and if I have osteoporosis. I wish our medical profession here was more natural. Oh well it is not. Thank you again."
Brenda
(Brenda injured her foot some time ago and never recovered)

________________________________________________

Gary Moller comments:

Brenda: First of all there is no need to panic. It is a mouthful of a name and sounds terrible; but means little more than a very sore foot that won't let up. Do not focus on the examples of the worst cases that often get presented as examples. I have encountered this condition several times and can report that every case has resolved - eventually. Let me explain what it is and what you can do to assist a full recovery.

Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD) or Complex Regional Pain Disorder, is a neurological disorder that causes a deep burning sensation in the muscles, skin, bones, and joints. The cause is not well understood, but most people that suffer from RSD have had previous immobilisations, heart attacks, sprains, head injuries, or sports injuries that ended with broken bones.

The main symptoms of RSD differ from individual to individual. In addition to the burning in the joints, limbs and extremities, many victims of this sometimes debilitating disease often develop sensitivity to touch, excessive sweating, and severe swelling. Most perplexing to doctors and victims alike, the symptoms of RSD do not always match with complete consistency the injuries that caused them. A minor injury may cause incredibly intense pain, although this degree can shift from constant to intermittent.

Please discuss with your doctor the advice that follows.

The natural therapies approach I recommend is directed at assisting the body with settling the inflammation and with healing. This could be aided by a quick-fire course of Prednisone over just one week. The Prednisone may be all that is needed to settle the inflammation sufficient to allow your body to get on top of the problem. Your doctor may recommend an alternative tyo Predinisone. The following supplements should be given three months or longer to take effect.

1. Take quality natural B vitamins. These assist with settling the nerves including reducing nerve inflammation
2. Take glucosamine and chondroitin to build healthy joints and collagen
3. Take MSM (methylsulfonyl methane) to reduce inflammation and to build healthy collagen
4. Take up to 2,000 mg daily of natural vitamin C
5. Take 2-4,000 iu of natural vitamin D daily or go outside and get a light sun tan. Vitamin D is a powerful immune regulator and is essential for healthy joints and bones
6. Evening Primrose oil, fish oil and flax oil may be beneficial

(All of these items are available through my online store)

While there may be some signs of bone demineralisation about the site of pain, this should resolve as the condition settles. Bone density tests are notoriously misleading, so take any adverse results with a grain of salt. If your vitamin D levels are high then the need for a calcium supplement are minimal. You would be better off taking a mineral supplement that has some calcium such as is found in the Active Elements range of mineral salts on my website.

Gentle massage and modest exercise may be beneficial; but take care. Exercise in water is ideal.

You might find soaking the leg daily in Epsom Salts dissolved in warm water gives relief.

Give these measures three or more months to have a beneficial effect and be giuded by your doctor.

All the best, keep in touch and let us know how you get on.